The Walk with Shay team sent me the next in their series on living club captains and their incredible raffle. The first can be found here, goo luck to all participants.
“The countdown is now on for the Walk With Shay Green Raffle Army prize draw on 25th May 2017 at Paradise. There is still time left to purchase raffle tickets to win our Club Captains of Celtic Away Top, covering 53 years of our Clubs unbroken history and a host of other amazing Celtic prizes, but don’t leave it too late.
Here is the next part of the club captains story”
Captain No 3: Tommy Boyd-November 2014
Tommy was an inspiration as Club Captain and still raises the bar high amongst the Celtic family as a Club Ambassador; giving up free time, and taking part in numerous fundraising events within the club and with the supporters, always taking time to talk to fans, signing autographs etc. Indeed, when we had a few beers in Mollies, he spent the entire night happily being interrupted by fans asking for photos and signatures. He obliged them all without a moan or groan. His wife told us that he loved the attention and was in his element. I had gone to the toilet at one point and a Chelsea fan who was standing next to me as we passed the time of day, asked “Who’s that you’re with? And I said to him joking, “Imagine, not knowing that! That’s Tommy Boyd, he played for your team”. I thought nothing more of it, until the boy appeared beside Tommy, ten minutes later asking for a photo. I later told Tommy, that I had chatted him up in the toilets earlier, for him.
For Tommy’s signature, I got in contact with Tommy’s CQN buddy who agreed to put the wheels in motion to assist with Captain number 3. A couple of days later, I was in the Kerrydale Bar having a pre-match beer with CQNer, TTTT. It was very busy, but who appears in front of me, as if by magic, Tommy Boyd. We had a brief chat and I said to him that I needed a favour as I was looking for him to sign the two tops. He said” Sure no problem”, and gave me his mobile number and told me to call him. The next week after a call, there was Tommy Boyd in my office at work signing the two tops. Tommy still claims to this day that he was the only Club Captain that came to us, to get the Tops signed… At this point, I had told Andy F about my plans and had enlisted his support and help in the search for the 11 club captains. There was still a long way to go and I started to realise that to complete this momentous task, that I would need help.
Captains No 4 and 5: Danny McGrain and Scott Brown-May 2015
Thanks to Andy F, this was a breeze in the park, as he got in touch with Tony Hamilton, CEO of Celtic FC Foundation who agreed to help. We duly and slightly nervously handed the tops into Celtic Park for signing in due course. The tops had never been out of possession up to this date, but we knew that they would be well looked after by Tony.
Danny had taken ill at the time, so we knew he had not been working at Celtic Park, but Tony went out his way to get both Danny and Broony to sign the tops, within a short space of time. The significance and uniqueness of the tops started to dawn on everybody now involved in collecting signatures, but we still had a long way to go to achieve the dream.
Captain no 6: Billy McNeill – March 2015
Billy, I had thought would be one of my easiest signings to obtain given his previous assistance on the Bringing Martin Home and Wee Oscar 4 Life campaigns. It was a joy to be invited into the McNeill household and for Billy to recall various Celtic stories. His wife, Liz was also lovely and they both knew my youngest daughter, Niamh who went to the nursery ran by Billy’s son. In fact, there was many a day when Billy popped into the nursery with lunches for the kids and I would have great delight in telling Niamh, just who the man, that regularly brought her lunch was.
I contacted Liz via text shortly after I had come up with the idea of the tops, but there had been no response. Billy was struggling with his illness and was going through a difficult time at this period. I had sensed that all was not well, and decided to put Billy’s signature on the back burner. It was actually not until the following March, that Liz got word to me, that they were waiting for me to pop in, so Billy could sign the tops. I arranged to pop in and since it was March 17th (St Patrick’s day), I bought 4 cans of Guinness for Billy and some wine and flowers for Liz and took them across. You could tell that Billy was struggling, but as they always did, the McNeill’s made me welcome in their house and we chatted for ages. Billy signed one top and Liz told him that it was a poor signature. I jumped in and say it was wonderful, Billy proceeded to sign the other top. He still regaled some great Celtic stories from years ago, but you could see at times how he struggled to remember and that he had a tear in his eye when he talked about Jinky. I gave him the four cans and he said thank you, to which he then said to Liz, “Am I allowed these?” She replied “You can have one can tonight, due to your medication”. I smiled as here was the legend Cesar being closely marked and had little or no room for manoeuvre.
Little, did I realise, that the signatures I had received that day were probably one of the last signatures given by Billy, due to his deteriorating condition which would restrict him from signing in the near future. It says a lot for the McNeill family that they had went out their way to help us, when this should have been the last thing on their minds at this difficult time, but this was the McNeills’.
Club Captain no 7: Neil Lennon-August 2015
We took a few months out in the quest for the Club Captains signatures, and started to push it again in August 2015. My Dad’s friend was Neil Lennon’s agent’s father (less than six degrees of separation!!) and I had previously pestered my Dad to speak to him to see if his friend could help. Eventually, it all came good and I was to pass the tops over to Lenny’s agent, Martin Reilly, as he was travelling down to Bolton to catch up with Lenny and Johan Mjallby. The tops were duly passed over to my Dad, with the instruction “Lenny only please” and he passed the tops over to his friend with the same message.
I got a call a week later to pick up the signed tops from my Dad’s friend house, and popped in after work as he lived just around the corner. As he brought the tops out, he said there was a little problem and told me that Johan had signed the tops as well, but it was ok as he was a Captain as well. I tried to hide my look of horror and not trying to sound ungrateful and I said “Thank you, but he wasn’t a Club Captain though, but never mind”. I thought “How am I going get around this one? Can I hide or cover it up, perhaps? Maybe even rub it out!” It is amazing what runs through your head at times. I was also struggling to get hold of Roy Aitken, and a crazy thought came into my head for an instant; “Perhaps I could kid on it was Roy Aitken’s autograph?”. As I looked at Johan’s signature more closely, I saw the number 35 next to his signature, I thought “Nope!” And dismissed the mad thought in an instant. This was going to be our Celtic kinder egg!
Part 3 to follow soon.
The countdown is now on for our amazing draw on 25th May 2017 at Paradise, but there is still time left to purchase (or sell) raffle tickets to win our Club Captains of Celtic Away Top, covering 53 years of our Clubs unbroken history, and a host of other amazing Celtic prizes.
Contact us now via:
email walkwithshay@yahoo.com
Twitter @walkwithshay
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Some people love the spotlight.
Some people turn up at the party with nowt more than their treasured misery and demand all fare,
Who among the support – as an individual – dares speak for the support as a collective without election.
Who would be so stupid, so vain, to dare.
Brown believed Tonev, every one of his team-mates believed Tonev, Ronny believed Tonev, Peter Lawwell believed Tonev, Celtic PLC believed Tonev.
But people who have never met the man, never heard him speak, nor looked him in the eye, nor know anything about his upbringing and grace, don’t.
*Alan Rough*
If Fulham win promotion through the play-offs, do you reckon there would be an add-on to Stefan Johanson’s fee?
Withey says he got a telephone call from Whyte: “You’re not going to believe this, it’s only a pound” adds he was “surprised.”
AD notes Share Purchase Agreement states cash for deal had to be “immediately available”
Withey “You have to read it as a whole”
AD “It’s straightforward language.”
Withey “It can’t be that straightforward, we’ve spent an hour on it.”
AD what ‘s meant by funds being available on an “unconditional basis”?
Withey “Between the 2 of us we’ve came up with 3 different answers”
Withey “If you buy rubbish players for £5m you still have rubbish players”
Withey on Whyte “I don’t think he knew anything about running a football club..he didn’t have the skillset..it was too big for him
Withey finishes his evidence. Next witness Ross Bryan
I am not sure who Ross Bryan is, there are so many who have been involved one loses his nut trying to keep track.
If I was a hun I would want this stopped right now.
Reggie on 16th May 2017 2:39 pm
I assume that you mean “Bring them home” and not The IRA will set you free. Yes, that has been sung on a few occasions home and away. “Go on Home” is a party song that I don’t particularly like but it’s there and others will argue that it’s commenting on 800 years of oppression.
As for the Merry Ploughboy, The Broad Black Brimmer and The Irish Soldier Laddie, I don’t find them offensive (apart from the add-ons to the Merry ploughboy – it’s not the Queen’s sun) and I have yet to hear anyone (apart from you) who does. Sean South and Grace both laud the IRA as much as any of the others; are they offensive?
KTF
Davidopoulos on 16th May 2017 3:00 pm
If Fulham win promotion through the play-offs, do you reckon there would be an add-on to Stefan Johanson’s fee?
———-
Probably, a sell on fee was probably inserted too.
So the referree in a cup final is deemed irrelevant before a ball is kicked? – even with Bobby Maddens chequered career of mibbery.
A ‘Celtic’ attitude that I refuse to subscribe to, because I’m not that arrogant over any 90 minutes, if you think he’s irrelevant you’ve not been paying attention.
Court case has been a lot of fun, I wonder if a pitodrie distraction was considered, last week it was a banner hung over a motorway overpass,was anyone identified as the culprits or have we just to take the mssm’s word that it was Celtic supporters ?
BOURNESOUPRECIPE
It’s Madhun for the Final!!
Deary Deary me the thought of a Celtic Treble strikes fear into the heart of the lesser spotted huns and their apologists.
We’ll need to be at our very best and our most vigilant to bring home the Sliver!
MayTrebleCSC
BSR,
100% with you on that, the arrogance is mind boggling, worse, people seem to completely ignore the safety issues at stake here, It will be open season on Celtic players, BR has previously practiced with 10 player on the park, maybe the he should be practising with nine and four of those with broken toes and ankles ffs.
DESSYBHOY 109
I thought that it was the best bit of satire I’d ever read since Voltaire and THECLUMPANY as reported below.
http://www.celticquicknews.co.uk/call-for-worldwide-ban-on-celtic-shirts-at-golf-events/
Difficult to believe it was genuine. It simply beggars belief.
Btw,four attempts at this post due to ads now getting past my blocker.
And just for reference, correct me if I am wrong – Joseph Plunket was a member of the IRB not the IRA.
“I don’t think he knew anything about running a football club..he didn’t have the skillset..it was too big for him”.
It’s almost as if he was an asset striper, the sort of man who would sell your St Etienne racing bike from under your very cheeks.
Who’d a thunk it?
You wouldn’t expect the huns to know the distinction, damn, they even celebrate the Battle of the Boyne on the 12th July. The wrong date.
HAPPY HOOOOOOPY BIRTHDAY to
PADDY!!!!!!
(That’s my wee big nephew,25,and I’m dead proud of him…)
ASTORMHACHROI
FFS,don’t tell me it was the 11th!!!!!
A thought crossed my mind. And that thought related to title stripping
If we were to categorise things as :-
A – Let sleeping dogs lie
B – All titles in the cheating years to be forfeited and the record books to reflect this *
C – All titles in the cheating years to be forfeited and the record books to reflect this * plus all of these titles to be awarded to the team who were runner up
D – All titles in the cheating years to be forfeited and the record books to reflect this * plus all of these titles to be awarded to the team who were runner up plus an action taken to recoup all such losses
E – All titles in the cheating years to be forfeited and the record books to reflect this * plus all of these titles to be awarded to the team who were runner up plus an action taken to recoup all such losses plus all those guilty of covering up said guilty practices brought to account
F – Another
A STOR MHA CHROI @ 3 10.
He worked for Octopus
The problem for Martin Dempster apart from his obvious severe sevcoitis is that the Celtic shirt is arguably also the most widely recognisable football shirt on planet earth.
He’s not even allowed to buy his club shirt CSC
‘If you’re good enough, the referee doesn’t matter.’
Jock Stein
Bobby:
:-)
SOUTH OF TUNIS
Appreciated.
THETIMREAPER on 16TH MAY 2017 3:31 PM
‘If you’re good enough, the referee doesn’t matter.’
Jock Stein
……………………….
Have you ever seen the photos where Big Jock went apoplectic at Syme
O G RAFFERTY @ 3 23 .
Alternatively , it’s a big bold bullet point for the jury– ” Why did they sell to him ? “
CANAMALAR IT LOOKS LIKE OCD OBSESSION on 16TH MAY 2017 2:53 PM
Reggie still smarting about the British empire being handed its arse on a plate by the IRA then Provos 80 years later eh, must be great source of humiliation for you, get over it Reggie the Provos won
——————
The Provos didn’t win. Ireland isn’t United. The IRA cannot set the 6 counties free. The people can however vote for it if they wish. At no stage have I praised the brutal regime of the British tyrants. They committed despicable acts. But so did we. Resistance against military targets was quite legitimate in my opinion. Blowing up innocent civilians was not. In any case I’m not trying to debate the troubles. I’m saying let bygones be bygones. It’s 2017. People from both sides in the North are trying to move on. 2 football clubs supporters in Glasgow fuelling the hatred doesn’t help their reconciliation.
===========
THE GREEN JEDI on 16TH MAY 2017 2:48 PM
Jesus Reggie, I thinks its time to let it go now mate
——-
Fair enough mate. It’s hard when you’re getting incoming from all angles. It’s just something I feel strongly about. I’ll leave people to talk about how we’re going to get cheated out of the cup final.
SOUTH OF TUNIS on 16TH MAY 2017 3:29 PM
A STOR MHA CHROI @ 3 10.
He worked for Octopus
————————————–
Even a Bond villain?! This court case has everything! :-))
Canam @ 3.22
Someone posted earlier that they blame Celtic.
By that, I took it, they mean for ‘another Celtic silence’ just quietly raking in the ticket money and other cash.
On refereeing this season because we’re so far in front its deepened the silence, but I really hope it doesn’t come back to bite us.
John Beaton was applauded on here by some yet he couldn’t bring himself to give Celtic a penalty without help, Bobby Madden’s appointment is a scandal given the Celtic Park game, and he’s also ruined the chant
No ***s at Hampden
Now that is a conspiracy too far CSC
THETIMREAPER:
‘If you’re good enough, the referee doesn’t matter.’ Jock Stein.
Back in Jock Stein’s day there was bigotry, bias and prejudice, but back then the huns actually had a decent team and money in the bank.
The dynamics have changed enormously since those words were voiced.
VFR
See you Saturday morning
Not sure if my dads going think there is a Celtic graves event also planned for then
BOURNESOUPRECIPE:
Beaton’s angle caused him a dilemma, he wasn’t best placed to determine whether it was in the box or out, he wanted to get it right, he took his time, he asked his assistants, he got his reply, he gave the penalty. I’ll laud him for that. I’d love it if all refs did that. Then there could be fewer excuses.